Icy winds shiver UP, rainfall forecast

Lucknow, Jan 29 (UNI) Even as there seems no respite from spine chilling cold wave in Uttar Pradesh for some more days, the weatherman has forecast rainfall accompanied by thundershowers.

Entire UP had been reeling under nipping cold since last few days.

The intense cold characterised by icy winds was attributed to snowfall in the upper reaches of Uttarakhand.

According to Met department, ''cold wave had gripped parts of UP since last couple of days. With rainfall/thundershowers likely at few divisions in the next 24 hrs, no respite is expected in the coming days.'' In the last 24 hrs, Meerut, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Jhansi and Agra witnessed a phenomenal dip in the night temperatures.

Parts of Varanasi, Faizabad, Lucknow and Bareilly divisions also registered a sharp plunge in the minimum temperatures.

In Kanpur, life has gone out of gear, following piercing winds prevailing in the city since last few days. The city and adjoining rural areas witnessed light drizzles, which brought down the maximum temparature.

The maximum temparature was dropped from 18.6 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees, while the minimum temparature rose from 5.5 degrees to 6 degrees.

According to reports, cold wave killed two persons in Jaunpur, followed by one each in Siddharthnagar and Sant Kabeer Nagar districts, reports said.

Meanwhile, the weather experts forecast rainfall accompanied by thundershowers in few divisions.